The transfer or ownership is made directly on the certificate of title. Make sure you and the seller fill in all necessary information, which includes:

Personal information of all buyers, including:

Full name.

Date of birth.

Signatures of all buyers.

If the car is subject to a loan, all buyers must also sign and indicate this.

NOTE: When multiple owners exists, the conjunction “OR" between names will indicate rights of survivorship. The car will be owned wholly by the name after the “OR" if the name(s) before the conjunction have deceased.

The address of the first person named.

If your post office will only deliver to a P.O. Box, you must submit a letter stating this fact.

USDOT number if the vehicle has a gross weight over 10,000 lbs. and will be used as a commercial vehicle.

Once the DMV title transfer is complete you will need to submit the title certificate and payment for the title transfer fee to the DVS:

Gifted and Donated Cars

The car title transfer procedures for gifted or donated cars are the same as
buying and selling. Remember, it is the responsibility of the person or organization receiving the car to submit the assigned title and payment for the title transfer fee to the Minnesota DVS.

If you donate or gift a car, you will also need to complete a report of sale
online to the DVS, or by mailing in the title's Recorded Owner(s) Record of Sale stub.

Inheriting a Minnesota Vehicle

Depending on circumstances, you will have to take different vehicle title transfer steps for a car you inherited. Read below for more detailed information.

NOTE: A will is NOT acceptable documentation for a transfer of ownership in Minnesota.

Joint Owner

If you were one of the named owners on the vehicle's current title, you can complete an auto title transfer to your name by providing the Minnesota DVS with the following:

Court-Appointed Executor

If you have been appointed as the executor of a probated estate, you can complete an auto title transfer as the seller on the title certificate.

To complete the car title transfer, you must also submit a certified copy of one of the following:

Letters of Administration.

NOTE: In the case that multiple executors exists, all executors must sign the title unless the letter notes that executors may act independently.

Probate Court Order setting the car aside for the surviving spouse.

Decree of Partial Distribution awarding the car to the person applying for the title.

Final Decree of Distribution noting all new owners of the vehicle.

Any person named on this decree not wishing to be on the title must assign ownership on the current title certificate to those wishing to remain on the title.

Once you have the appropriate documentation, follow the steps listed above under
Buying or Selling a Vehicle to complete the car title transfer.

Family Member or Friend (Estate Not Probated)

If you are handling an estate that is not subject to probate, you may assign ownership of a car on the certificate of title. Complete the vehicle title transfer by submitting the title and proof of death (see above) to the
Driver and Vehicle Services division along with one of the following:

Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property – For use when no legal heir exists.

Signatures on the above documents must be notarized or witnessed by a DVS official. You may also need to pay a
title transfer fee.

Trustee

If you have been appointed as a trustee, you may transfer ownership of a car by titling the vehicle in the names of both the
trust and the grantor(s) of the trust, i.e. the previous owner(s) of the vehicle.

Along with the assigned title, you will also need to submit the following to the DVS:

A copy of the trust indicating that you are the trustee.

Proof of death (see above).

A declaration stating that the applicant is inheriting the vehicle, or a copy of the trust that shows the beneficiary, if the new owner is a legal heir (see below).

Removing a Lien

If you have paid off your car loan, your lender must release the lien on your car
before you can obtain the title. It is the lender's responsibility to release the lien by submitting the following to the DVS: